Almaty Exposes Scheme Issuing Fake Construction Licenses to Over 400 Firms

Law enforcement agencies in Almaty have uncovered a criminal group suspected of orchestrating a scheme to illegally obtain construction licenses. The fraud involved entering deliberately false data into the state's "E-Licensing" information system.

The Financial Monitoring Agency (AFM) reported that the activities of the scheme's participants, who were in collusion with employees of the Almaty City Urban Development Control Department, have been stopped.

According to the investigation, since 2021, the perpetrators used controlled companies to input false information into the system. This data falsely confirmed the existence of industrial bases, special equipment, and qualified engineering personnel—requirements that were not actually met by the applicants.

As a result of this scheme, more than 400 legal entities bypassed established qualification norms and received Category I licenses for architectural, urban planning, and construction activities.

During searches, documents and items relevant to the investigation were seized. Investigative information indicates that for arranging such "services," the organizers received remuneration ranging from 2 to 5 million tenge per license.

The investigation into this large-scale licensing fraud is ongoing.